PHOENIX — Police say a teen girl was fatally shot by her cousin at a west Phoenix home Saturday.
Court documents said at about 3:15 p.m., officers responded to a call of a suicide attempt at a home near 59th Avenue and Indian School Road.
The caller told authorities that her daughter had just shot herself.
Officers and crews arrived at the scene to find a 15-year-old girl, identified as 15-year-old Valerie Arreloa, with a gunshot wound to the face.
Arreloa was taken to a local hospital where she later died.
Witnesses told officers that Arreloa's cousin, 21-year-old Alexis Vidrio, was reportedly playing with a gun and accidentally shot her.
A Glock 9MM pistol was found in a room of the home.
Another cousin was also present and saw the shooting unfold. Police said the weapon belonged to Vidrio.
Vidrio told police that he thought he had unloaded the gun. He claimed he pointed the gun at the window and pulled the trigger, noticing that the shot hit Arreloa, according to court documents.
Vidrio also claimed Arreloa had picked up the handgun from a dresser before placing it back.
At that point, Vidrio grabbed the gun, pulled the magazine from the gun and then pointed the gun at the window, in the direction of Arreloa when the gun went off, police said.
Vidrio remained at the scene and was arrested for a manslaughter charge.
